Klarinet Archive - Posting 000115.txt from 1997/01
From: "Joie Canada , Jcanada713@-----.com>
Subj: New Guy
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 23:09:05 -0500
<< Congrats, Steve! Welcome to the clarinet!
What I remember about my first lessons (I am the same age as the "absolute
beginner'") Is the smell of the practice room and the silence of the place
before we began playing. My teacher had a very soft voice and encouraged
playing softly and sweetly and listening to how the tone on each note filled
the room with sound. It was a marvelous way to start. My teacher was a
small man, from Wales, I believe, and a marvelous singer as well as
instrumentalist and a specialist in starting young beginners. One of his
biggest points with new players was to limit practice time during the first
month of playing to 10 minute sessions twice a day so we would not develop
bad habits trying to play when our very inexperienced muscles were trying to
learn to toughen up and develop the stamina we would need for longer playing
sessions. As kids, we were anxious to get on with it and usually tried to
play longer so Mr Whitney told the parents to take our mouthpieces and dole
them out only at the specified times. Of course, we had a bunch who would
find the mouthpieces and sneak off for extra practice out in the ragweed
patches on vacant lots--very softly, of course, but in bunches. I can
picture all the grownups around listening to us and snickering about "how
to
get the kids to practice"
If our lessons went well, we were allowed to practice longer as our
muscles
developed and to add another session each day. We had 15 minute lessons in
private twice a week at first, so he was able to fit many kids in to prepare
us for beginning band. Having private time with the teacher was a great
benefit for beginners. We had group lessons later and played ensembles but
it is the awkward times those first three months and the gentle
encouragement
I got (as well as the sneak the mouthpiece business) that sticks most in my
mind. Thanks for reminding me of those old times and reminding me that my
job as a musician is to make beauty, as Mr Whitney put it!
Joie
>>
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Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 13:27:45 -0500 (EST)
From: JCanada713@-----.com
Message-ID: <970109131811_2089072593@-----.com>
Subject: Re: New guy on the block!
Congrats, Steve! Welcome to the clarinet!
What I remember about my first lessons (I am the same age as the "absolute
beginner'") Is the smell of the practice room and the silence of the place
before we began playing. My teacher had a very soft voice and encouraged
playing softly and sweetly and listening to how the tone on each note filled
the room with sound. It was a marvelous way to start. My teacher was a
small man, from Wales, I believe, and a marvelous singer as well as
instrumentalist and a specialist in starting young beginners. One of his
biggest points with new players was to limit practice time during the first
month of playing to 10 minute sessions twice a day so we would not develop
bad habits trying to play when our very inexperienced muscles were trying to
learn to toughen up and develop the stamina we would need for longer playing
sessions. As kids, we were anxious to get on with it and usually tried to
play longer so Mr Whitney told the parents to take our mouthpieces and dole
them out only at the specified times. Of course, we had a bunch who would
find the mouthpieces and sneak off for extra practice out in the ragweed
patches on vacant lots--very softly, of course, but in bunches. I can
picture all the grownups around listening to us and snickering about "how to
get the kids to practice"
If our lessons went well, we were allowed to practice longer as our muscles
developed and to add another session each day. We had 15 minute lessons in
private twice a week at first, so he was able to fit many kids in to prepare
us for beginning band. Having private time with the teacher was a great
benefit for beginners. We had group lessons later and played ensembles but
it is the awkward times those first three months and the gentle encouragement
I got (as well as the sneak the mouthpiece business) that sticks most in my
mind. Thanks for reminding me of those old times and reminding me that my
job as a musician is to make beauty, as Mr Whitney put it!
Joie
